“No, but—“
“I kissed you because you were hurting. Because I wanted you to know that, in spite of everything, you’re a beautiful woman who deserves to have a future with a family of your own.”
He raked a hand over his head. “I’m angry at myself because I came here, intending to avenge Ciara. But with each day that I spend with you, she’s fading from my mind. I don’t like it. I feel like I’m betraying her, because I can’t think of her when you’re here.”
She stared at him, taken aback by his words.
Gods, he was behaving like an ass. Why would she care about any of that?
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Reaching up, she ran her fingers over his rough skull, down his bristled cheek to his lips. “For both of us.”
He caught her hands, choosing his words carefully. “So am I.”
“I haven’t kissed a man in nearly a year.” She looked uncomfortable but forced herself to continue. “And until now, I couldn’t bear to be touched.”
Until now? The words sent up a flare of warning within him. But before he could think of what to say, she pulled back from him. “I’m grateful to you for that.”
She adjusted thebratacross her shoulders. “Will you help me to see Jilleen? I want to be there with her tonight.”
And just like that, the moment was over, as though it had never happened. Trahern gave a curt nod, escorting her back.
He didn’t look at Morren again, nor did he dwell upon the unexpected kiss. It meant nothing.
But he sensed the faith she held in him, the confidence that he would make things right again. And without knowing why, he took her hand in his, in a silent promise.
Chapter Eleven
Shedidn’tknowhowhe’d done it, but Trahern had kept his word. With Katla’s help, they managed to get past the guards to see Jilleen. Morren held her sister tightly in her embrace, while Trahern remained at the doorway.
They stayed together through the remaining hours, though Morren knew Jilleen wasn’t sleeping. Before dawn filtered through the hut, her sister raised up to face her.
“I don’t regret what I did.”
“Shh. Don’t speak of it now.” She took Jilleen’s hands. “Try to get a little sleep, if you can.”
Jilleen’s eyes no longer held the innocence of a thirteen-year-old girl. She drew her knees up, meeting Morren’s gaze. “I’m glad he’s dead.”
Morren smoothed a lock of hair away from her sister’s face. “He won’t trouble us again.”
Jilleen’s mouth trembled, her hands clenching together. “I should have run faster that night. If they hadn’t caught me, we’d both have been safe.”
Morren’s eyes burned, her heart aching for her sister. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“It was. And now I’ve done something to make amends.”
From across the room, she saw Trahern approach. His height overshadowed the young girl, and he stood over her. “It was not your task to kill him,” Trahern said. “Though I understand your desire to avenge Morren.”
Jilleen jerked her attention to Trahern, her face coloring. He dropped to one knee, so as not to intimidate her. When he glanced at Morren, she saw that he was trying to help.
“When my brother Ewan was a young lad, he followed my brothers and me everywhere,” Trahern said. “No matter whether it was a ride across the fields or on a dangerous cattle raid, he wanted to be there.”
“We were more than brothers,” Trahern admitted. “Friends, even.” His voice had drifted into storytelling, and Morren saw that he’d captured Jilleen’s full attention. “We became closer after we all returned from our fostering. One night, almost ten years ago, we faced a Norman attack. Dozens of archers and riders in full chain mail armor attacked us. Our brother Liam was killed that night.”
The catch in his voice was hardly noticeable, but Jilleen heard it.
“You tried to save him,” her sister said softly.
“We did. And we weren’t fast enough to stop the sword that struck him down.”
